An Understanding
by TheLetterQ
Summary: Ehren Manus, a new student at Xavier's, has come across a slight problem, and he goes to an XMen veteran for advice.


Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men. Marvel does. Good for them. I DO, however, own Ehren Manus. Good for me. Questions or comments? Email me at Q_slash@hotmail.com  
  
I haven't kept up with X-men in forever, so in my lil world, Xavier's is a school for mutants, young and old. Some graduates have left to join the world, some stay to become X-men eventually, some do whatever. Ehren happens to be learning about his mutation, and is also taking regular classes. Basically it's the 90's-cartoon-verse, as I've too many gripes with the movie-verse, and I abhore the stupidity of X-Men Evolution. Pretty animation, horrible acting and plot and just...no.  
  
__________________  
  
An Understanding  
  
A brief X-men Fic by Q  
  
Ehren Manus sat in the hallway in the east wing of Xavier's institute. His leather pants squeaked against the waxed hardwood floor as he adjusted his rear end uncomfortably. He had been sitting for nearly twenty minuts on the floor of the hall, waiting for her, and given his odd porportions, his butt was beginning to smart.  
  
His knees were rested against his boney chest, and his legs, which ended in stumps at the ankle, rather then feet, gently nubbed at the carpet in his bordom. Long arms, which were nearly five feet long each, rested in his lap, the long fingers interlaced neatly, to keep them out of the way. All together, his arms from shoulder to fingertip, measured 6'3. Ehren, when standing, only measured 6 foot.   
  
Though he did have a tendancy to slouch somewhat.  
  
"Y'all have a good night, guys. Ah'm off t'have a nice shower."   
  
Ehren blinked as he heared the southern twang spoken briskly from the lower floor, and he cleared his throat as he heared footsteps bounding up the steps. He perked, his pants giving a squak, as if grumping out 'FINALLY!!'. Unlacing his fingers, her placed a massive palm - six inches from wrist to knuckle- on the floor and pushed himself to stand on his legstumps.  
  
The woman raised a hand to brush some white locks of hair from her forest green eyes as she stepped into the hall, hooking the difiant bangs over an ear. Those same green eyes glanced quizzically at the oddly formed boy who camped at her door.  
  
"Can ah help yah?" The woman enquired simply.  
  
"Uh.." Mister Manus licked his lips and swallowed, a bit nervously at the older woman. "Yeah, I think so...um. You're Rogue.....right?"  
  
"Tha's me, Sugah, what c'n I help yah with?"  
  
"Uh...I have-..er...I'm Ehren. A student here. though you could prolly tell with my..han-..nevermind. Heh. Can I-...I have...a probl-...no....what I mean is...I'm having a problem, an-..."  
  
The woman smiled, slightly amused, yet simpathetic at the boys nervousness. "Calm down kid. Ya'll are jumpier then a kid on a pogo stick. How 'bout we have some soda an' yah c'n ask me what'cha came t'ask me?" Rogue followed up her hospitible offer with a slightly flirtatious wink, which made the young man blush slightly.  
  
"Uh..sure. This is really confitential anyway." Ehren offered a simple grin, and stepped aside, allowing Rogue to unlock her room and open the door.  
  
The room was rather comfortable, two rooms, a large bedroom with an ajacent bathroom. A small fridge rested by the television at the foot of her bed. Rogue dropped her purse on the bed and went to the minibar, opening it and pulling out two cans of pepsi. With ease, she tossed one to Ehren, whom caught it simply in his huge grasp.  
  
"Nice move there," Chuckled the southern belle. "Have a seat, an' tell me what braught ya all th'way up here to mah room."   
  
"Uh..thanks..."Ehren looked with missmatching eyes to his can, popping the top with a simplicity only his hands would allow. "I've been...studying the more unique mutants associated with this place. Wolfsbane,Penance, hank McCoy,Marrow, Maggot,Chamber,...the 'freaks'...."  
  
"How nice, freaks. Don' go an' make a girl feel un-purty now."   
  
Ehren's head shot up to look wide eyed at the very normal looking, if not beautifully developed woman, in shame. "No,No! Nothing like that! In a cross refferance with Nightcrawler, I came across you....I read about your ...mutation."  
  
"G'on."  
  
"There's this....." The boy sighed, he really had to stop getting so ahead of himself. "My mutation, other then huge hands and lack of feet, is that I can induce fear, a fear of hands..or to a greater extent, to touch itself."  
  
"Bah touch?" Rogue assumed, before taking a long swig from her can.  
  
"No. I could just show my palm, or fingers, or what have you. The point it....there's this.....girl."  
  
There was a pause, before Rogue let out a slow sound of understanding. "C'n ya control it?"  
  
"Most the time....But if I get too relaxed or too agitated, just like any other mutant, I could lose it. I promised her I wouldn't hurt her. She's had a tough life, and not the best self esteem. But my power went off on her and she became afraid. Minuts after I told her nothing bad would happen. I feel like shit!"  
  
"An' now y'er 'voidin' 'er aincha?" Rogue surmized.  
  
"....yeah."  
  
"Ehren. Look'it me." The woman placed her can down on the bedside table. "Y'can' tell 'er nuthin' bad's gonna happen tah her. Tha's just un'voidable. Wha' ya can do, is be there f'r 'er when the storms come. That's a true friend."  
  
"Yes. I know."   
  
"D'ya feel f'r 'er?" Was the next question.  
  
"....yeah." The boy closed his eyes, and nodded lightly.  
  
"An' yer 'fraid yer power will go off ev'rytime ya try t'be close t'er."  
  
"Basically. That's why I came here. I know it must be a hard subject, so you could go hulk on my ass and kick me out if I'm overstepping boundries." The gave a nervous chuckle. "But please, I'm just trying to...figure out what to do...." Ehren's voice came out quieter now, missmatching eyes looking into striking greens. "How do you live...being terrifide of the person you care about most?"  
  
Rogue exhaled, lowering her head, eyes adverting from the dark ones from across the room. "...Ya'd think it was easier over time. Yah cover up th' pain by jokes....by a front. After years of..ignorin' it..yah think yah got a handle on it, finally. Then someone comes along...and yah realize it still kills t'not be able to touch somin'. yeah, yah got hope. Ya know someday th' p'fessor will figger somin' out. . .but 'till then, ya still are alone. Isolated."  
  
Ehren, feeling guilty all over again, tried to shrink down in his chair, tried to become smaller. He was having a bad few days. "I'm....sorry...." God, that was lame.  
  
"Yah say ya c'n control yer power, right? F'r th' most part?. . .All I c'n tell ya Ehren, is t'ave conf'dence in yerself....Go f'r wha' ya want. If ya got a chance with 'er, then go f'r it. Bein' scared a' somin' ya want, is no way t'go through life. Ain't fair t'you...an' it ain't fair t'yer lil sweetheart."   
  
By this time, Ehren had uncurled, sitting stright up, eager to take in all the new reassurance Rogue offered.  
  
"An' jus' 'tween you an' me, If'n I was a li'l younger, ah'd jump at th' chance tah catch yer eye, scare-power or no."  
  
The young man beamed a proud smile. "Thank you, Rogue." He chuckled, rising to his legstumps. "You-..I...thanks. Alot. It means alot to me."  
  
"No problem. I know what it's like. S'mah job t'help ya kids out anyways." She offered a smile.  
  
"I should be on my way now, though...." Continued Ehren, already backing up towards the door, popcan in hand. "Studing to do....Thank you, again, Rogue."  
  
"oh, 'course. Yah git a move on. Study." She moved towards, then past the young man, opening the door for him. "An don' worry so much 'bout thankin' me. Just go talk t'er t'morrow. Tha's thanks enough Ehren."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Possitive." Assured the woman with a kindly nod. "Now, t'er room t'study! March!."  
  
He gave a sheepish grin and saluted. "Yes, ma'am."  
  
Out the door he went, and down the hall, past the particular female friend's room. The oddly porportionate boy paused at the door to the room. He surpressed a chuckle, and raised his massive fist to knock.  
  
Fin  
  
Thurs. Jun 26th '30  
  
12:59am 


End file.
